Annahi Tejeda: Missing LA teen found safe miles from her home with stranger, suspect taken into custody
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PICO RIVERA, LOS ANGELES: Annahi Tejeda, a 13-year-old from Pico Rivera, Los Angeles, was found safe just a few miles from her home after a three-day-long search. Although her family is relieved that she is back home, they still have many unanswered questions regarding her recent whereabouts and how she ended up in a stranger's home.
"I'm very happy she's back home," said Cynthia Lomeli, Annahi's mother. "Thank you so much everybody who came out and helped, tremendously thankful for everybody that came out, appreciate it," NBC Los Angeles reported.
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Hundreds of fliers with Annahi's photo were shared online
Annahi left her home on Wednesday night, March 22, at 11.50 pm after a disagreement with her mother about her cell phone. The last known sighting of her was at a 7-Eleven just half-a-mile away from her home at midnight, which was captured on surveillance footage. The LA County Sheriff's Pico Rivera Station asked for the public help in the critical search. Hundreds of fliers with Annahi's photo were shared online and in the surrounding neighborhoods, ultimately leading deputies to her location in Montebello on 4th Street near Cleveland Avenue.
A witness recognized Annahi and called 911 on Sunday afternoon. The news release from the Los Angeles Sharoffs department stated," At approximately 2 pm, Montebello Police Department was dispatched to the 500 block of North 4th St, which is an apartment complex in the city of Montebello. Upon their arrival, they saw Annahi exit from a detached converted garage at the complex. They detained her and contacted Pico Rivera Station and she was transported here for questioning," said Captain Jodi Hutak of the Pico Rivera Sheriff's Department. "Also located in the garage was one male Hispanic adult. He was taken into custody without incident."
'Just grateful and thankful'
The man's identity has not been released, but he was arrested and booked on an unrelated charge. "Pending the outcome of our investigation, we will then know what additional charges will be added," Hutak said as per the news release. Annahi's family is grateful to everyone who helped in the search, even people who didn't know her. "People from Norwalk, other cities, and states sharing her post and looking for her without knowing anything of her," said Rocio Vazquez Tejeda, a cousin. "Just grateful and thankful."
Authorities have not yet shared how Annahi came into contact with the man she was found with. As the family waits to learn more about what happened, they are just happy to have her back home.